Tack container



NOV. 1, 1938. PEPPIATT 2,134,927

TACK CONTAINER Filed April 1957 INVENTOR Raga/2 Pays vial! BY f 5 ATTORNEY for instance, a piece of furniture.

Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

While I am aware of the existence of various containers for holding tacks, liquids, powders, edibles, toothpicks, glue, and many other commodities, I do not know of any specially designed devices of this kind, which have for their particular objects the objects of my invention, that is to provide a tack container primarily adapted for the purpose of keeping tacks in a sterilized,

dust-proof condition while not in use, and which is so constructed as to prevent overturning of the container while at rest in its upright position,

and which will facilitate a controlled feeding from the container of tacks into the palm of the hand, when the container is inverted, and held in that position in one hand, while the other hand is used for the purpose of applying the tacks.

In the upholstery trade at present, tacks are being sold in bulk in relatively large boxes from which an appropriate quantity of tacks is usually taken to provide a small supply for upholstering, The tacks are usually placed in an envelope or a small container, and are usually picked up by hand and placed into the mouth of the worker from which he takes tack by tack to be used. The handling of the tacks with bare hands invariably results in pricking of the skin and very often causes infection of the Wounded fingers. The use of tacks in large bulk is not only cumbersome, but wasteful, and, as indicated, dangerous to the worker.

The present invention is intended to obviate the aforesaid disadvantages by providing individual, relatively small containers, wherein a supply of tacks, sufficient for any given work, may be bought in a sealed package which remains unopened until tacks are being actually needed, so as to keep the tacks in a sterile condition and dust-proof. Incidentally, such sealed containers are intended to prevent substitution of inferior material and to provide the original manufacturer with a distinctly individual package which may be appropriately labelled to identify the origin of manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide an individual, handy tack container which may be filled by the worker himself from the bulk without the danger accompanying the handling of tacks with bare hands.

All types of containers herelnafter described are intended to be used during the upholstering operation in inverted position, and are so designed that they may be conveniently held in that position against the palm of the hand, whereby the dispensing of tacks may be controlled as needed, by a simple manipulation of the palm or the fingers against the opening of the container.

With the foregoing and further advantageous objects of my invention in view, the important features of my discovery will become more fully apparent from the ensuing description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, which latter, although depicting specific forms thereof, is not intended to limit me to the actual showing, and in which Fig. 1 illustrates a filled and sealed tack container in the form of a cone;

Fig. 2 illustrates a modified, refillable form of a tack container adapted for use by upholsterers buying tacks in bulk;

Fig. 3 is a modified form of the device shown in Fig. 1 in the shape of a frustum pyramid;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 denote various bottom constructions of my containers; and

Fig. 7 illustrates a container in its inverted, tack-dispensing position while being held by the left hand of the user.

Referring now specifically to Figs. 1, 4 and 5, numeral I0 denotes a sloping wall of the container which is in the shape of an entirely sealed cone. Below the apex of the cone there is provided at II a line of perforations which facili tatcs the permanent removal of the diminutive cone-shaped upper portion of the container for the purpose of providing access to the interior of the cone and exit for the contents of the cone When the latter is inverted and held in the palm of the hand as shown in Fig. '7.

It will be noted that the wall of the cone converges at a fairly wide angle marked X, which I have found should not be less than 60 degrees, so that the incline or taper of the wall becomes mild- 45 ly sloping for the purpose of assuring a gradual, slow, feeding-down of the tacks when the container is invertedand held in the palm for dispensing tacks therefrom. The interior of the cone is preferably sterilized so as to hold the 50 already sterilized tacks in a clean, dust-proof state, thereby minimizing the danger of injury caused by pricking of the skin through the issuing tacks.

The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 is in- 55 tended not only for facilitating the dispensation of the tacks, but particularly for marketing the tacks in relative] small quantities directly by the manufacturer, ho preferably fills the container from the bottom, whereupon the container is sealed and thus sold to the trade. The manner of sealing the container is preferably accomplished by providing at the bottom edge of the container a dished plate I2 (see Figs. 4 and 5), the dished edge of whichis secured to the interior edge surface of the container. This dished bottom may have either a sloping dished flange, as shown in Fig. 4, corresponding to the incline or taper of the container, or the bottom edge of the container may be made cylindrical, as shown in Fig. 5, in which case the dished member I! will have a correspondingly cylindrical flange. when the container embodiment of Fig. i is used, the top portion of the cone is severed from the body along perforations lland the device is ready for use; when empty the container is disposed of.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a container having a similar purpose as that shown in Fig. 1. In this case, however, the shape of the container is a frustum pyramid, having four mildly sloping walls ll, converging towards one another at relatively wide angles X. The top of the container is formed from the material of the container, and provides a closure I3, which maybe sealed around the top edge of the container and may remain a part of the container when opened. The bottom structure is similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 5. 7

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 6, here is illustrated a hollow frustum cone having a mildly sloping wall II. The upper end of this modifled form provides an opening H, which is intended to be closed by a removable stopper l5 whenever desired. The bottom edge of this modified form is preferably constructed in the shape of an annular bead l6, wherein the wall material of the cone is turned inwardly upon itself so as to form an interior annular ledge for a resilient bottom member I2, which may be removed or inserted at will, by simply flexing it in the directions of arrows I or II, respectively. This type of container is particularly intended for use by the trade buying tacks in large bulk.

The container is preferably filled from the bulk in that, first, bottom I! is removed by thrusting an instrumentality through opening l4, against its center and forcing the plate outwards; second, the stopper I5 is inserted into opening ll and the container is inverted and dipped into the tacks so as to scoop up a sumcient quantity for an intended job; third, the bottom is replaced by forcing it past the interior edge of head l6 into the position shown in full lines. Thereupon stopper i5 may be removed and the container inverted and used in the manner shown in Fig. 7 for dispensing the tacks from the container.

All the containers illustrated in the aioredescribed figures are provided with a relatively broad base so as to prevent the tipping-over of the container, when in upright position, thereby preventing the spilling of its contents, when the container should inadvertently remain open.

Irrespective of whether the container is either conical or pyramidal, its structure must be symmetrical in respect to the vertical center line passing through the center of its base, and its base dimensions must be either equal to or larger than its side dimensions. In other words, in a conical structure the diameter of the base must be at least equal to or longer than the side of the cone, and in a pyramidal structure, the horizontal center lines of the base, and each side of the base, must be either equal to or longer than the length of any side of the pyramid. Such construction is essential not only for the purpose of assuring stability for my device when resting upon its base, but for the purpose of assuring slow and uniform feeding of the contents from the inverted container. The moment the incline of the container sides becomes more acute, i. e. inclined less than 60 degrees, or the sides of the container are out of symmetry in respect to its vertical center line, the device will fail to accomplish its intended purpose of providing a slow, gradual and so-to-speak measured down-feed of its contents.

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of my invention, it is quite evident that improvements and modifications may be incorporated therein, and that any suitable material may be employed in making the containers, according to its particular purpose. Thus, for instance, an inexpensive container may be produced from cardboard, as well as from sheet metal or other nonmetallic sheet material, as well as from specially treated fabric. The shape and arrangement of the container may also vary with the particular purposes for which it is intended.

By the same token, my containers need not be used exclusively for holding upholstery tacks, but may be employed for accommodating any other commodities which may be advantageously kept in and which may be desirably dispensed, in a controlled fashion, from my type of container construction, even though slight modification in the construction may be occasioned thereby. It is therefore obvious that changes and improvements may be incorporated, and I reserve for myself the right to make such changes and improvements in my invention, without departing from the broad scope thereof, as defined in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. An invertible, sterilized, dust-proof, dispensing container, comprising a tapered body with a substantially broad base and a closable, relatively small discharge opening at its apex, the container being so arranged as to provide, when inverted, a mildly sloping wall or walls for the purpose of assuring a. gradual, slow feeding-down of the contents, without undue abruptness or spilling, the wide base of the container serving to prevent overturning of the container when at rest in upright position, and wherein all parts of the tapered body portion of the container are symmetrically arranged about its vertical center axis, and wherein its base dimensions are equal to or longer than its tapered wall or walls.

2. An invertible container as set forth in claim 1, and wherein a closure is provided at the discharge opening for retaining the contents within the container.

3. An invertible container as set forth in claim 1, and wherein the sloping walls of the container converge at an angle of not less than sixty degrees.

4. A tack container adapted to be used as a controllable tack dispenser, consisting of a tapered body having a relatively broad base, its walls converging at relatively wide angles, the container being normally completely closed, means provided at its top for opening it, the container, when thus opened, assuming a true frustum formation, and serving, when held inverted against the palm of the hand, as controllable tack dispenser, the wall structure of the container being strictly symmetrical relative to its vertical axis passing through the center of the base, the length of the horizontal center lines of the base being at least as long or longer than the wall or walls of its tapered body.

5. In a tack container, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said body is cone-shaped and interiorly sterilized, and wherein said top opening means comprise a detachable cone-apex, and wherein the base is provided with a dished member secured to the interior face of the body at its bottom edge. v

6. In a tack container, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said top opening means comprise an independent closure made from and remaining a part of the container body.

7. A tack container adapted to be used as a controllable tack dispenser, consisting of a tapered body having a relatively broad base, its walls converging at relatively wide angles, the container being normally completely closed,

means provided at its top for opening it, the container, when thus opened, assuming a true frustum formation, and serving, when held inverted against the palm of the hand, as controllable tack dispenser, and wherein said top opening means consist of a removable stopper, and wherein the edge of the base is provided with a circumferential bead, and a bottom held by said head. g

8. A tack container adapted to be used as a. controllable tack dispenser, consisting of a tapered body having a; relatively broad base, its walls converging at relatively wide angles, the container being normally completely closed, means provided at its top for opening it, the container, when thus opened, assuming a true frustum formation, and serving, when held inverted against the palm of the hand, as controllable tack dispenser, and wherein said top opening means consists of a removable stopper, and wherein the edge of the base is provided with a circumferential bead, and wherein a flexible, removable bottom is held by said bead.

RALPH PEPPIA'I'I. 

